reality

when you sleep
thunderous beasts emerge from mountains
irksome demons leak from faucets
you fight for your life
as trivial embarrassments
and buried insecurities
haunt you in grotesque forms
this is existence, you don't question it
until the alarm clock impact
thrusts you into the morning landscape
your heart pit pats
you trace your eyelids
wondering what's real

when you wake
creatures retreat into your mind's shadows
they remain, solemn and silent
while the stark conscious world
places new demands on your psyche
you must travel and toil
dodge through traffic and social graces
to earn your keep
barely a moment to perceive feelings
your stomach flit flutters
your nerves fray
nothing feels real here

when the day is done
you seek a place down in the deep dark
where you can hear your breath
you unpack each thought
and wrap your fingers around moments
remembering your skin limbs bones
presence running through your blood
you lay on the soft ground
and let your mind fly far
into the familiar and unknown
your chest fills, full
you close your eyes
this is what's real